Last week, Vietnam announced the launch of its new film commission, the Vietnam Film Development Association (VFDA), during the Busan International Film Festival.

According to Variety, the VFDA’s aim is to attract international filmmakers to co-produce films with Vietnamese counterparts in an effort to support the development of the country’s film industry.

The VFDA’s wider mission is “to unite and promote the Vietnamese film industry’s creative capacity and to support them in creating high-quality films,” Ngo Phuong Lan, former Director General of the Vietnam Cinema Department and chair of the new association, said at the festival.

During its first term (2019-2024), the VFDA will develop a set of documents explaining Vietnam’s filmmaking environment, in an effort to attract foreign film projects and promote collaboration with foreign producers.

According to Tuoi Tre, Le Hoang Diep Thao, the VDFA’s sponsor, will travel with Lan to Tokyo and Los Angeles to introduce the association and expand its influence.       

Aside from promoting international collaboration, the VFDA will also strive to further develop film guidelines and policies. VnExpress reports that the VFDA recently informed Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam that there are currently many bureaucratic issues for filmmakers, especially when it comes to content licensing.

The VFDA appears in a time when Vietnamese movies, such as Hai Phuong and The Third Wife, are gaining increased global attention. Vietnam’s diverse landscapes have also drawn the attention of international filmmakers such as Joe Wright with Pan and Jordan Vogt-Roberts with Kong: Skull Island.

[Photo via Creative Commons]